Like Cats and Dogs by Kate McMurray (interesting novels in english .TXT) 📕

into a chair. She had on a purple chiffon caftan over a white shirt and pants, her short hair perfectly coiffed. The fuchsia lipstick was a bold choice. “I had a wild idea. Tell me what you think.”

Paige glance at Lauren, looking mildly alarmed. Every so often, Diane came to them with a crazy idea that often ran contrary to how Lauren would prefer to run the café. Since Diane owned the café, they had to either try to implement her odd ideas or tell her why they weren’t possible.

Diane launched into her spiel. “I went to a fundraiser for a young lawmaker in Manhattan last week, where I met a woman who runs a writing program for kids, which got me to thinking about writers. Writers and cats specifically. I wonder if there are writers’ groups in the area who would like to use our space, maybe after regular hours, for meetings or to write together or that kind of thing.”

“We can look into that,” said Lauren. It wasn’t a terrible idea. One of Diane’s previous wild hairs had been to make the café a space for students to study during certain hours, but the kids had been so loud it had bothered some of the cats. But older writers might be fine. The only trick would be to talk staff into staying after hours. Or hiring new people. “We should schedule a meeting to talk personnel soon.”

“Are you having an issue with someone?”

“No, I need more someones, now that the morning rush has gotten so nutty.”

Diane smiled. “Sure, we can discuss that. I have an appointment in a few, but I’ll let you know when I have time. How are things otherwise? How is Dr. Fitch?”

“Lauren and Dr. Fitch still hate each other,” said Paige.

“Aw, come on,” said Lauren. “Way to blow my cover.”

“They had a huge fight in the middle of the party last night. Did you not see them argue? He was kind of a jerk. I think he stepped over the line.”

Diane smiled. “I did catch part of that. He apologized, didn’t he?”

Given that his apology had involved sex in the closet, Lauren pressed her lips together so as not to give anything away. She felt her face heating anyway. “He did,” she said, hoping she sounded noncommittal.

“He’s really sweet with animals,” said Diane. “I guess that’s his type. Good with animals, terrible with humans.”

“It’s not that, exactly,” said Lauren.

Diane and Page both turned to look right at her.

Lauren sighed. “He just rubs me the wrong way, is all.” Or he rubbed her in all the right ways, which was becoming more of an issue as time went on. Surely this enemies-with-benefits situation had an expiration date. In no way was it sustainable. And the minute Caleb met some woman he did actually like and want to spend time with, this whole thing was over.

“You may yet make it work,” said Diane.

“You and Evan are both crazy,” said Lauren.

Diane smiled. “Love and hate are just different sides of the same coin. And it’s not hard at all to flip a coin over.”

Lauren sighed. “Trust me, there’s no future for me and Caleb.”

“They’re on a first-name basis,” Paige whisper-shouted to Diane.

“I noticed.” But perhaps Diane recognized further pushing was futile, because her next question was, “And how are things with you, Paige?”

Paige laughed. “Well, if it’s true a girl has to kiss a lot of frogs before finding her prince, I’m in luck, because all the dating apps are sending my way are frogs lately.” She held up her phone. “Maybe I’m too old for dating apps. I mean, fond as I am of these hipster boys who know a lot about craft beer and kinds of avocados but can’t balance a checkbook.”

“There’s more than one kind of avocado?” asked Diane.

Paige looked forlornly at her phone. “Aside from the internet, how do people even meet anymore?”

“Well, in my day, people met in person and looked at their phones much less. Were there no eligible bachelors at the adoption party last night?”

Paige frowned. “Not really, no.”

“What about that Mitch fellow who runs the rescue organization?”

“He’s nice, but not at all my type. Also, like, fifteen years older than I am.”

“So dating is going well,” Lauren said.

Paige laughed. “I’m not trying to be picky, I just haven’t met anyone worthy of a second date in a while. But my prince is out there somewhere.”

“It’s good that you haven’t given up hope, dear.” Diane patted her knee.

The unlike Lauren was implied.

***

Olivia walked in with a cup of coffee and a grimace. Caleb sat at the front desk, updating charts while Rachel was at lunch, and he found Olivia’s expression alarming.

“What’s going on?” he asked.

“I saw Diane at the Cat Café.”

“Diane…?”

“She owns the building. So she’s our landlord, but she basically lets us operate without interference.”

“Okay.”

“She’s a nice woman, but she’s a bit of a busybody. She’s currently dishing with Lauren and Paige like she’s their mom. Well, more like a kooky aunt than a mom, I guess. She’ll probably come here next to tell you you’re too thin and she’s got just the woman to set you up with.”

“That does sound like my mother.” Although, his mother hadn’t been pushing him to see other women yet. She understood he was still smarting from the divorce. She had, however, never been Kara’s biggest fan and didn’t seem particularly brokenhearted when the marriage had ended.

“So brace yourself. Diane tries to mother everyone who works and lives in the building. It’s just her way.”

“Seems unusual. I haven’t lived in New York that long, but it seems like more of a ‘keep your head down and get where you’re going’ kind of place. I don’t think I could even come up with the first name of the guy in the apartment next to mine if I tried really hard.”

“And that is how it should be. I say hello to my neighbor when we pass in the hall, but otherwise, if I’m home, I